Travel Whispers Challenge

I realise I said my last post would be the last of 2016, but whilst procrastinating and avoiding taking down my tree, I caught up on one of my favourite blogs Wales To Wherever and found out about a Facebook group and blog challenge for travel bloggers: the ‘Travel Whispers Challenge‘. I loved reading Rhiannon’s answers -although as she’s a nomadic adventurer who has seriously traveled, spoiler alert: hers is a lot more exciting than mine will be- and thought it would be a great way to look back on the trips we’ve taken this year and hope to take next year … Whilst still avoiding the tree.

1. If you had to move to a country that you’ve NEVER been to, and live there for ten years, where would you go?

Canada. It’s top of my travel bucket list but getting to the Northern parts I especially want to visit isn’t going to be straight forward so as of yet we’ve not been; I will rectify this soon. I could see myself living there because besides the incredible landscapes and cold, I think Canadians are somewhat similar to the British and they have a great healthcare system.

2. If you had to live in a hotel for the rest of your life, which hotel would you choose and why?

Grimsborgir in Iceland, our wedding hotel. When we travel we typically don’t go for the most luxurious hotels, it’s all about being close to the stuff we want to see as we don’t spend much time in the hotel anyway. For our wedding we wanted something special and so picked Grimsborgir where we would stay from the night before until the night after the wedding with all our guests. We had the junior suite which was their best room and the minute I walked into it was the moment I got ridiculously excited about the wedding and all the stress about the logistics of getting there disappeared. The whole hotel was gorgeous and the perfect base for the wedding. In the middle of Thingvellir national park, the rooms were spread out around the hotel and surrounded by tabletop mountains and amazing scenery. I have such fun memories of all our guests arriving and us exploring the hotel, having amazing food and my niece discovering a forth bathroom in their apartment when hunting for slippers.

The Junior Suite, Grimsborgir.

3. If you could only eat the cuisine of one nationality forever more, which would you choose?

If I were picking somewhere I’ve not yet been, I would say India as I know they have a lot of vegetarian options and it’s one of my favourites without a doubt. If I had to pick from the places I have been, it’s not so easy as generally when traveling food isn’t a priority and it’s typically very limited for me as a veggie. For those reasons I would pick a slightly boring one and say France as you can’t go wrong with bread, cheese and all the pastries.

This was one yummy vegetarian meal I had in Iceland.

4. Who has given you ‘holiday envy’ this year, and how?

Rhiannon’s India posts and Michelle’s Chile posts. Rhiannon experienced India in a way few get to do, she visited places way off the beaten track tourist wise and even got bitten by a monkey; I admire her sense of adventure and have loved reading about her experiences. Michelle captured Chile perfectly, it’s somewhere I would really love to visit.

5. If you had to look at the same sunrise or the same sunset every day, where in the world would you never get bored of seeing? Please don’t say sitting outside Cafe Mambo in Ibiza.

It would have to be Iceland or Norway during the Polar nights, as the sunrises and sunsets can be so dramatic. They also vary so much from day to day, you could never get bored.

Winter sun rises and sunsets in South Iceland. These were taken on the same day.

6. If you were taking a ‘staycation’ in your home town, where would it be and what would you recommend others to do?

As much as I love traveling, I absolutely love where I live and spend as much time as I can exploring the Welsh coast. We have some truly stunning scenery so close to home. I would love to stay at Nash Point lighthouse, in the light house keeper’s cottage. This is where Aaron proposed to me and one of our favourite spots so I would love to stay there at some point. I’d recommend this part of Wales to everyone as there are so many amazing beaches and cliff top walks in that area and an hour and half down the road you’ve got the Gower.

Nash Point & Monk Nash, Vale Of Glamorgan, South Wales.

7. Describe your perfect travel day of the year?

It has to be tying the knot next to Sólheimajökull glacier in Iceland. We cancelled our UK wedding and eloped at the last minute, to do what was right for us. It was without a doubt the best decision we could have made as we had the most incredible day.

Not strictly speaking a travel day and I did scold anyone who referred to the wedding as ‘the holiday’ when I was in the height of my pre-wedding stress out, but how could I pick another day from this year?

8. What have you ticked off your bucket list in 2016?

Getting to Svalbard was a big one. It’s as far North as I’ll likely ever be able to go, with it being the last land before the North pole. For as long as I’ve loved the Arctic I’ve thought about going there and I loved experiencing life that far North, in complete darkness for days and knowing we were sharing the same land as 3000 polar bears, although thankfully they were safely off on the sea ice.

Longyearbyen, Svalbard.

9. What is top of your travel bucket list for 2017?

Canada, Alaska and American national parks are the big ones, I would love to visit one of these places but most of all I just want to enjoy wherever we go and be truly in the moment. We have some exciting trips planned already for the very start of the year.

This is such a great post, I really enjoyed your answers. I would also love to visit Canada. The hotel where you stayed looks so lovely and pretty room. I wish you all the best for 2017. Gemma xxhttp://www.jacquardflower.uk

Amy

30th December 2016 at 2:17 pm

Thanks Gemma! I hope you have a lovely break over the coming weeks and NYE. All the best for 2017 <3

Amy

That Iceland hotel sounds amazing! Despite growing up in the Valleys and going to Uni in Swansea, I’ve never actually been to the Gower or any of the coast really. It’s a shame because it really is beautiful! Loved reading your answers and honoured to have given you holiday envy haha.

Amy

6th January 2017 at 10:13 am

It was so good. It’s so easy to forget what’s right on our doorsteps, I know I do all the time! Thank you haha <3

Amy

Your answers are amazing. I’ve always wanted to check out the polar nights and your images there are just incredible.
As I said in my link to your post, your staycation has given me an amazing amount of Wales wanderlust at the moment. It’s one of those places that has been on the top of my hit list for years now and yet somehow I just never get there. Clearly I need to be more resolute and actually go and visit; it seems amazing.

Amy

6th January 2017 at 10:13 am

Ah thanks Alison! I hope you do come and visit, I think you would enjoy it <3

Amy

Amy this post is incredible!! The way your photos also create their own colour scheme just looks sensational. I’m always getting photography envy when I read your blog 🙂 Such a beautiful post and love your travel bucket list for 2017. I am looking forward to seeing those photos when you do visit! xx

Tash | natashatodd.blogspot.co.uk

Amy

6th January 2017 at 10:14 am

Thanks Tash I’m glad you enjoyed. Wow thank you 🙂

Nina

10th January 2017 at 1:01 pm

wow these are amazing pictures. Loved the hotel room, and the sunset pictures are incredible.
NInaNina’s Style Blog